


He Said 'I Love You'

by Mizuphae



Series: Early Morning Shenanigans [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Batman Crocs, Comedy, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Good Friend Kon-El | Conner Kent, Jason Todd-centric, Kon-El Is a Good Bro, M/M, Running away from your problems, Tim Drake-centric, Words are hard, tim is a loveable idiot sometimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:00:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27104629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mizuphae/pseuds/Mizuphae
Summary: Tim blinked. And then blinked several more times. “Uh…”“Hmm?” Jason questioned, as if he did not realize what bomb he just dropped on Tim. As if he didn’t do the emotional equivalent of dropping atomic bombs onto the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Relationships: Kon-El | Conner Kent & Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Kon-El | Conner Kent, Tim Drake/Jason Todd
Series: Early Morning Shenanigans [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946197
Comments: 28
Kudos: 239





	He Said 'I Love You'

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to robinlikeitshot for the excellent beta!
> 
> Prompted by rikway who asked for "tim on the 'morning after' having a mini freakout about feelings and maybe like. self esteem issues". Umm, I don't think this is what you were expecting... but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

Tim smiled against Jason’s chest where his head rested. He was humming some song that Tim didn’t know the name of, but god, did he love the tune when _Jason_ was the one singing it. He stopped when he realized Tim was awake.

“G’ mor—” Jason cut himself off with a large yawn. “G’ morning, baby bird.”

“Mm… Morning, Jason,” Tim mumbled back sleepily. His words were muffled so he slowly raised himself up on his elbows to have his face meet Jason’s.

“What time did you get home last night?” Jason asked softly, pressing his lips to Tim’s.

Tim grinned into kiss, admiring how happy Jason made him with such small actions and words, just overwhelming him with this affection and appreciation for one another’s existence. With him, there were no expectations of what they’re meant to be; only adoration for who they were. 

Tim delicately moved away to speak, still only keeping a short, short space between each other, as if it would be a tragedy for them to ever truly part.

“I got home around four. So, more like this morning,” Tim murmured, moving Jason’s hair away from his face. 

Jason furrowed his brows, wrapping an arm around Tim’s waist where he was laying, to hold his body even closer to his. “Did something come up?”

“Yeah,” Tim looked into Jason’s eyes, just admiring everything about them. Almost all of the green from the Pit was gone, just the tiniest flecks that were scattered amongst the vast blue. He thankfully hardly ever got Pit rage anymore. “There was a lead; I’ll be investigating it tonight with Cass.”

“You two as a team? Yeah, you’ll finish your case in no time.”

Tim chuckled softly, “We do pretty well. But, you know,” he winked. “Red Robin and Red Hood make a pretty awesome team too.”

“We do,” Jason grinned back up at him, kissing him with more strength.

“Jason Todd is an asshole, though,” Tim teased, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

Jason laughed, his teeth clinking against Tim’s. “But you like it.”

“Hmmm… I dunno, maybe you should convince me.”

Laughing even harder, Jason said enthusiastically “God, I love you, Tim.”

And then Tim blinked. And then blinked several more times. “Uh…”

“Hmm?” Jason questioned, as if he did not realize what bomb he just dropped on Tim. As if he didn’t do the emotional equivalent of dropping atomic bombs onto the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“I—um,” Tim stuttered. 

Internally, he was screaming at himself to _use his goddamn words_. He was born and raised in Gotham. He went to school and attended English classes. Well, he dropped out of high school… but that’s irrelevant! He got his GED and was attending Gotham City University with Jason. 

Oh. Uh, right. _Jason._

Tim, for the life of him, couldn’t get his mouth to cooperate, but honestly, even his brain didn’t know what’s going on. 

If you’d like a visual representation of what is happening in his brain, please search “Spongebob Burning Office Gif” on your web browser at this moment. Yep. That’s pretty accurate. 

“You,” Tim croaked. “You, uh, uh—” He shut his mouth to stop his stammering, making his teeth click at the impact.

Jason stared quizzically before ‘ohhing’ in realization as a light bulb appeared to go off in his head. He pulled back and held a hand to Tim’s cheek. “Baby, you don’t have to say anything yet. No obligations. I just said that because I meant that.”

“I—I,” Tim wanted to curse at himself for being unable to English correctly. 

What even are words, and why aren’t they working right now? Is his tongue broken or something? Can he get a refund? He’s pretty sure that he got a defective one.

“Tim?”

 _Okay_ , Tim steeled himself before carefully pulling himself off of Jason’s body and their bed; or more accurately: scampering away from his issues as fast as possible.

“Wa—wait,” Jason reached out to him, grasping Tim’s hand before it was pulled away. “Wait, Tim. Where are you going?”

But Tim could barely hear him over the ramblings of his own mind. Using the skills he was required to learn while becoming Robin, Tim threw on a reasonable amount of clothes and raced straight to the window. Because when you are confronted with an issue, running away seems a little bit easier.

As he rushed to unlock the security measure inside of the window lock, Jason blocked his view with an arm, trapping him against the wall.

“Damn it, Tim. I need you to listen to me.” 

All Tim knew was that he needed to leave to figure out what’s going on in his messed up brain, because like _what is happening?_

And so he said “oasjdiauhwn,” his body frozen still as Jason stared at him in disbelief, unconsciously loosening his arms. _You know, like an intelligent person,_ Tim thought sarcastically to himself. _Like a person who passed kindergarten._

“Did you—did you just verbally enunciate a keyboard smash?”

“Uh,” was the last thing Tim uttered before he pushed Jason’s arm out of the way and lifted the window open. Jason made one last feeble attempt to grab Tim’s hand before he pulled away and slipped out of the window, using its frame to boost himself onto the fire escape.

As he left, he heard Jason groan and then say “Fine. Just—just come back when you’re ready to talk about this.”

Tim rubbed his face as he ran down the fire escape stairs before collapsing onto a bench on the sidewalk.

 _Damn it, damn it, damn it._ Tim groaned. “Why couldn’t you use words, you utter idiot?” He asked himself, pulling at his hair.

He sighed. _What should he do, now?_ And then a light bulb went off in his head; he could ask someone for help.

“Kon!” Tim shouted at a moderately high volume. He doesn’t need to scream, just a nice yell that is borderline normal speaking levels. “Code Batman,” he said in a slightly quieter voice.

Tim played with his fingers as he waited for his best friend to appear and—

A familiar black-haired superhero flew down and stood in front of him, hands resting in his jean pockets. 

“Hey, you called? Emotional issues slash inability to communicate with others?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m glad you remember what Code Batman was. You know, we should come up with more codes that could be associated with more of the Justice League, like… uh, I can’t really think of any right now but—”

Kon facepalmed. “Tim. I’m pretty sure that you didn’t call me over here to just discuss codes and protocols. What’s going on?”

Tim bit his bottom lip before spilling in a rapid rush, “Ok, so this morning Jason and I were talking, right? And then he told me that he loved me? And then I wanted to say it back, but words didn’t work because like, how could he say that so easily! And also I couldn’t English and my mouth wasn’t cooperating? So I ran away and he probably hates me now and thinks that I don’t love him back and now he’s probably going to break up with me.”

Kon blinked as he deciphered what Tim said—he’s used to incredibly fast speech, thanks to a combination of Tim and Bart’s rambling—before looking up and down at Tim. “Tim. What the fuck?”

“I know, right?” Tim’s voice cracked. “I messed up, and now he probably _hates_ me.”

“No, no, no, no, no, not that.” Kon waved his arms dismissively. “Why the fuck are you dressed like _that_?” 

He spat out the last word with disgust, as if what Tim was wearing deserved to burn in the fiery pits of Hell.

Tim stared at him disbelievingly. “Are you serious right now? I’m having a moment. I may or may not have a boyfriend by the time I go back to our apartment, and you’re talking about my fuckin’ outfit?!”

“Okay, look.” Kon gestured at Tim to calm down. 

He paused, and Tim waiting in suspense, actually thinking that Kon would give him some sound advice and— “It’s an atrocity, okay? Like, what the hell kinda cardigan is that? What store sells that abomination? And together with those Batman crocs and plaid shorts and—”

Tim frustratedly ran a hand through his hair. “Damn it, Kon, I’m really stressed out about this.”

Kon frowned and sat down beside him. “Hey, man. From what I’ve seen from him, and what I’ve heard you say about him, it doesn’t seem like the fact that you were incapable of speech for a couple of moments will ruin your relationship.”

“But what if it _does_.”

Kon groaned, “It won’t. And if it does, then that means he’s an absolute dick and you guys should’ve definitely not been together at all.”

“Kon. Can you please be supportive, or something? Do you have any ideas?”

“I could beat him up.” Tim opened his mouth to protest but Kon immediately shook his head. “Or, or you could call Stephanie? I’m pretty sure she’s good at relationships.”

Tim pondered that for a couple of seconds. “You know, what? You’re right.”

“I am,” Kon said smugly. “Now, when do I get to beat him up?”

“ _Kon, no—_ ”

“I know, I know,” Kon chuckled, gesturing at him to take out his phone. “Call Stephanie.”

Tim huffed before sliding his phone out of his pocket. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.”

Kon smirked at him, “Yeah, I am.”

They waited for the phone to dial twice and— “Hey, ex-boyfriend. What’s up?” 

“Uh, not much. It’s justthatJasontoldmethathelovesmeandthenIdidn’tknowwhattosayandI—”

“Jeez,” Stephanie said. “Talk slower. What’s going on with Jason?” After a millisecond, her voice darkened, “Do I need to beat him up for you?”

“No, damn it, why are you guys like this?”

“You guys?” Her voice asked confusedly. “Is there someone else there?”

“Oh, uh,” Kon spoke a bit louder so that Stephanie could hear him through the phone. “Yeah, It’s me. Kon. Conner. Superboy. Insert another alias.”

She laughed, “Alright. Now, tell me why I have to go beat up Jason.”

“Wait!” Tim yelped. “Guys, stop. No one is beating up Jason.” He stared at the ground. “It was my fault; I freaked out a little when he told me that he loved me.”

“A little?” Kon snorted. “You ran out of your apartment in the most horrendous clothing Gotham has ever seen—”

“Shush, Kon.” Tim glared at him. 

“You ran out?” Stephanie guffawed into her cellphone. “Like, out of your apartment?”

“That’s not the point, Steph.”

Stephanie was quiet for a couple of seconds before speaking again. “Okay, then what _is_ the point?”

“I need help figuring out what I want to do.”

“You should just talk to him, Tim. Communication is really important in relationships. Go back and talk to him face-to-face. You’ve got this.”

Tim nodded, saying “Thank you, Steph. I’ll be right back.” He set his phone down on the bench beside him.

“Okay, Tim,” Kon rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. “What do you want or need me to do for you?”

“I need you to tell him that I love him. Break the ice.” Tim paused. “Is this how you do relationship stuff?”

“Uh, no? I don’t think so, at least. And she didn’t tell you to tell me to do that, and I know that because I could hear her.” He pointed at his ears. “Super hearing. Anyways, I don’t think you should have other people do this when they’re not part of the relationship. Like, I love you, Tim. But like a bro. Even if you’e wearing a cardigan made out of _denim_ for some ungodly reason.”

“Please, I just need you to do it. _Please._ And then I could handle it from there, I think.” 

He ignored the tiny inaudible sounds coming from his phone.

Kon paused. “...Are you sure you don’t want me to beat him up? Or at least threaten him? I think that’d be easier.”

“No!” Tim cuffed him behind the head and Kon dramatically fell to the floor, moaning of the betrayal. “Go. Go tell him that I said ‘I love you’, because clearly, I’m incapable of Englishing correctly.”

“Fine, fine, you abusive tyrant,” Kon said, brushing dust off of his knees as he got up. “Anything for you, Rob. Even if you are wearing the worst thing that could possibly ever be imagined in humanity.” He saluted at Tim, that cheeky bastard.

Before he left, his face melted into a soft expression as he gently asked him, “Tim, do you _really_ love him?”

Tim wrapped his arms around his waist and looked down, a small smile unconsciously making its way onto his face. “Yeah, I really do. I’d spend the rest of my life with him,” he said truthfully.

Kon patted his shoulder. “I’m glad.” And then he turned and flew up to the window where Jason was waiting.

Tim exhaled and picked his phone back up, resting it against his ear. “Yeah, Steph, I’m back.” He rubbed the back of his neck. Hopefully, Kon will help him.

“That’s literally the opposite of what I said to do, Idiot-Wonder,” Stephanie’s scalding voice rang loud and clear through the speaker.

Yeah, he really needs help.

***

“Tell him that Tim said ‘I love you too’, tell him that Tim said ‘I love you too’, tell him that Tim said ‘I love you too’,” Kon repeated to himself to make sure he wouldn’t forget. 

When he finally reached the apartment window, he entered two sets of eighteen-digit passcodes, along with a symbol puzzle that unlatched the window. Yeah, they’re pretty paranoid.

Once he finally got the window open, Kon hopped in feet first. He used to enter windows headfirst and… long story short, he didn’t do that anymore. He’d rather not talk about it.

“Tim! I—” Jason’s hand reaches out before stopping as he realizes. “Oh, uh, hey Kon. Is he alright?”

 _Tell him that Tim said ‘I love you’_ , Kon’s mind reminded him. And so Kon opened his mouth and said “I love you!” 

_Damn it, Kent!_

“You—you _what_?” Jason’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Uh, dude. I’m dating your best friend, right now. And I’m in love with him. And _what the fuck?!_ I’m pretty sure friends don’t do this to friends.”

Kon blinked several times before his words registered in his brain. “Oh. Oh. No, no, no, no, oh no. I meant to say Tim loves you. You’re pretty cool, man, but I’m not into you.”

Jason squinted at him. “So, what the fuck is happening right now?”

“Uh, okay,” Kon rushed to clear the confusion, and honestly it’s pretty rude of his mouth to skip over a really important part, of which was ‘ _Tim_ said’. 

“So, you told Tim that you love him, and then his brain basically underwent the biological equivalent of a Windows Shutting Down screen, you know what I mean? The blue screen?” When Jason nodded, snorting at his metaphor, Kon continued, “So he kinda had to figure out what to say back to you, because for a really smart guy, he sucks with emotions.”

“Yeah,” Jason nodded gravely. “He gets it from Bruce. They’re both immensely emotionally-constipated.”

“I know, right? Like, one time we were at this reunion thingy for Young Justice, and Bart asked him what he thought of Jaime, and Tim said—and I shit you not—he said—”

“Kent. Get to the point.”

“Oh, right, yes. So Tim had to go figure out what to say, and so he called me and I told him to chill, but he wouldn’t chill. So then we called Stephanie who told him to do something, but he was like ‘Nah’ and kept freaking out. He was afraid you would get upset that he didn’t say ‘I love you’ back, which is ridiculous,” Kon glared at him menacingly. “Right?”

“Yeah,” Jason nodded his head. “I only said it because I already knew it. I could wait forever until he is ready. And it doesn’t matter too much.”

“Good,” Kon smiled in approval, slapping Jason’s back. “Because if you ever hurt him,” Kon’s smile disappears, “I’ll tear you apart limb by limb using my TTK.”

Jason’s eyes widened, his fingers twitching as if he was wondering if he was going to have to fight his boyfriend’s best friend in the next minute. 

“Of course, within reason.”

Jason’s eyebrows crinkle in confusion, dumbfounded by such a sentence to follow a threat to rip someone apart. “ _Within reason?_ ”

“Within reason,” Kon nodded unironically. “Like physically, you guys are probably going to punch each other, because he’s kinda a bastard who will push your buttons for fun. But as long as you guys don’t kill each other, and don’t be abusive, and be able to resolve the issue at the end of the day, it’s fine in my book. Emotionally, however, is a much different story.”

Tiredly running a hand through his hair, Jason sighed, “Okay. So what now?”

“Uhh,” Kon blinked. “I don’t know. We didn’t really think ahead of me telling you that he loves you and to please not leave him.”

“...Okay,” Jason repeated. “Do you think he’s ready to come back? So we could talk like semi-functioning adults?”

Kon squinted. “Maybe? I’ll go check on him.”

“Alright. You go do that, Kent.” 

As Kon turned, he heard Jason sit back down on his bed with a sigh.

***

“Okay, so I just walk in there and somehow use words?” Tim raised an eyebrow. “I tried that earlier, but that didn’t work out. Do you think we could just have make-up sex, and he could figure it out from there?”

“Stop.” Kon gestured at him. “You’re killing my emotional intelligence-brain cells. Or just my brain cells in general. And it’s not like we superheroes have lots of those to spare.

“Just tell him everything that you’ve told me. That you do love him, and whatever else you want to say.”

“Are you sure he doesn’t want to break up with me?” 

“I’m sure. Like, ninety-nine percent sure.”

Tim gasped at him. “What about that one percent?!”

“Jeez, Tim. Don’t worry about it. Just go and talk to him.”

Tim bit back any further remarks before he nodded with determination and began the run back up the fire escape stairs as Kon floated behind him. 

“Why don’t you want me to fly you up, again?”

“Be quiet, Kon.”

Kon shrugged and waited for Tim to climb through the window before entering.

Kon nodded at Tim who hesitated before saying “Uh, we’re still dating, right?”

Jason raised an eyebrow, “Kon didn’t tell you that, yet?”

“Half-human error,” Tim said dismissively. “He could’ve been wrong.”

“Hey!”

Tim watched as Jason tried to hide a smile behind his hand. “But anyway, uh, sorry I couldn’t say the, uh, thing earlier. I wasn’t Englishing correctly.”

“You could’ve tried Russian,” Jason jokes. “We both know that one.”

“Oh, uh…”

Jason’s eyes crinkled as he laughed at Tim fondly. “Tim. I wasn’t expecting you to say anything back, earlier.” He shrugged. “I just said it because I wanted to.”

Tim scratched his head, “I uh— I love you.”

And then Jason smiled the most gentle, enchanting smile that Tim thought should be illegal because like _oh god, how is that even allowed? How is the planet still rotating when a smile like that exists?_

“I love you too, baby bird,” he replied so sweetly and Tim’s breath stuttered.

Jason leaned forward to press a kiss onto his lips and—

“Alright, you guys are so goddamn mushy,” Kon announced abruptly, making the other two turn and glare at him. “I’m leavin’, I’m leavin’. You guys are so grossly cute, ugh.”

Tim rolled his eyes as Kon climbed out of the window and a boom sounded signaling his exit.

Jason chuckled before lifting Tim’s chin and resumed kissing him affectionately. “Anyway, I can't believe you thought that I would break up with you just because you couldn’t say three little words.”

“Shut up,” Tim’s face flushed. “They're pretty big and important words.”

Jason hummed, tugging Tim back towards their bed. “That’s true.”

As Jason started pulling off everything Tim had put on during his rush to leave, Tim asked “So, what did Kon say when I asked him to go talk to you for me?”

Tim watched Jason laugh, laugh a little _too_ hard—like, _frighteningly_ hard—like, enough that he had to pause taking off Tim’s Batman crocs to wheeze, bracing himself against the wall after determining that Tim was not safe to lean against.

Should he be offended? He’s pretty sure his question wasn’t that funny, or even funny at all.

He gave Jason a weird look as he took _at least_ three minutes before he could stop laughing. And then Jason said, “Oh, he told me that he loved me.”

“...what.”

**Author's Note:**

> Jason: I love you  
> Tim: *insert 'Windows is Shutting Down' meme* ...  
> Jason: You don't have to say anything yet, I just wanted to say it  
> Tim: Uhhhh ditto *does finger guns*
> 
> [If you didn't do what Tim told you about earlier (search up the Spongebob Burning Office gif), this is a link to it.](https://media1.tenor.com/images/a793b0e07f5860b304ccc7e3a9a10b1b/tenor.gif?itemid=13729593)
> 
> I hope you all have a fantastic day/night! Please consider leaving a kudos and/or a comment if you liked this


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